Nazmi Mehmeti

Who was Nazmi Mehmeti?

Nazmi Mehmeti, also recorded as “Mehmetovitch” on the SS Goya, was an Albanian born on 25 March 1918 in Rechani, Macedonia, near Gostivar. He came to New Zealand in 1951 at the age of 33. Mehmeti was a very well known wrestler in Macedonia in his youth: he was tough, strong and fought in the rugged mountains of the Balkans until the end of 1948 when he crossed the border into Greece. He had eight wounds in his body fighting the communist secret service in Macedonia and Albania. Apart from being a staunch patriot and firmly committed anti-communist he was also a devoted Muslim, praying five times a day. He urged others to fast during Ramadan and to love a fellow man “whoever says Amen” irrespective of faith.

By trade Mehmeti was a carpenter and worked around Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Wellington. To start with he built a house in Upper Hutt and then later on he moved to Auckland. He also worked at the Meremere power station as a carpenter for a period. He made a marked contribution to the leadership of the New Zealand Muslim Association during the 1960s and is particularly remembered for his constant efforts to maintain the NZMA Islamic Centre property on Hargreaves Street.